News: Africa
» 2007
December 12, 2008
COPE gives ANC a bloody nose
The ANC's dismal performance in this week's by-elections in the Western Cape has confirmed suspicions - and claims by the rival Congress of the People - that the governing party is haemorrhaging support in the province. While the ANC managed to sustain and in some cases improve its levels of support in by-elections elsewhere in the country, in the Western Cape it received a bloody nose as opposition parties snatched 23 of 26 council seats it previously held. Independent candidates standing under the banner of the yet-to-be registered COPE snapped up 10 of the wards lost by the ANC, while the Democratic Alliance took nine and the Independent Democrats four.
Read article on the Independent Online website (South Africa)
December 8, 2008
And now for a world government
I have never believed that there is a secret United Nations plot to take over the US . I have never seen black helicopters hovering in the sky above Montana. But, for the first time in my life, I think the formation of some sort of world government is plausible. A “world government” would involve much more than co-operation between nations. It would be an entity with state-like characteristics, backed by a body of laws. The European Union has already set up a continental government for 27 countries, which could be a model. The EU has a supreme court, a currency, thousands of pages of law, a large civil service and the ability to deploy military force. So could the European model go global? There are three reasons for thinking that it might.
Read article in the Financial Times (UK)
Comment: Democracy in the European Union has now been almost completely subverted by corporate interests. As such, exporting the European model of government to the rest of the world would effectively turn the planet’s system of governance into a global dictatorship.
November 13, 2008
Zimbabwe hyperinflation 'will set world record within six weeks'
Inflation levels in Zimbabwe are running at 13.2 billion per cent a month and could reach an all-time world record within weeks. The latest figures put the country's annual rate at 516 quintillion per cent – 516 followed by 18 zeros – overtaking Yugoslavia in 1994 and putting it behind only Hungary in 1946.
Read article in the Daily Telegraph (UK)
November 3, 2008
Nigeria Seeks US Defendants In Pfizer Trovan Trial
The latest delay in the criminal case is to acccommodate the federal government, which wants to serve paper on defendants in the US, Reuters reports. The criminal charges include over 20 counts covering alleged breaches of import, supply and registration regulations for the antibiotic and laws relating to a notorious clinical trial that took place in 1996. The federal government and the northern state of Kano also filed civil cases against Pfizer, claiming $8.5 billion in damages over the trial, which took place during a meningitis epidemic that killed 12,000 children. Nigeria says Trovan caused the death of 11 children and left dozens with disabilities, and that Pfizer did not obtain proper regulatory approval for the trial and misled parents.
Read article at pharmalot.com
October 22, 2008
Organic farming 'could feed Africa'
Traditional practices increase yield by 128 per cent in east Africa, says UN
Organic farming offers Africa the best chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and malnutrition it has been locked in for decades, according to a major study from the United Nations to be presented today. New evidence suggests that organic practices – derided by some as a Western lifestyle fad – are delivering sharp increases in yields, improvements in the soil and a boost in the income of Africa's small farmers who remain among the poorest people on earth. The head of the UN's Environment Programme, Achim Steiner, said the report "indicates that the potential contribution of organic farming to feeding the world maybe far higher than many had supposed".
Read article in The Independent (UK)
October 20, 2008
SA witnesses genesis of new political rival to ANC
HUNDREDS of disgruntled ANC supporters tore up their membership cards and threw them into a bin yesterday in protest at party president Jacob Zuma’s leadership. The demonstration, reminiscent of the 1960 anti-passbook protests, in which people burnt their apartheid identity documents, was in Phillipi, Cape Town, where former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa was telling his supporters of the preparations for the formation of a breakaway party. The meeting was one of a series convened by the yet-to-be-formed breakaway party — and by the ANC — across the country as the two battle for the hearts and minds of voters ahead of next year’s general election. Former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota who, along with Shilowa, is at the forefront of the plans to form the new party, told supporters in Bloemfontein that it would be launched on December 16.
Read article in The Times (South Africa)
October 9, 2008
Zimbabwe inflation soars to 231 million percent
HARARE (AFP) — Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate soared to 231 million percent in July, a state newspaper said Thursday, confirming the daily hardships of a nation driven into poverty and trapped in a political impasse. Staggering increases in the price of bread and cereals were the main reason for the jump from the June rate of 11.2 million percent, the Herald said, citing the Central Statistical Office. Shortages of wheat are driving up bread prices, the paper said, compounding the struggle to avoid hunger in a country where the United Nations estimates more than five million people -- nearly half the population -- will need food aid.
Read AFP news report at google.com
September 23, 2008
SAfrica cabinet empties, Zuma says 'Don't panic'
CAPE TOWN (AFP) — Eleven South African cabinet members abandoned ship on Tuesday in the wake of President Thabo Mbeki's resignation, prompting fears of instability and the ruling ANC leader to downplay any panic. The cabinet members stepped down shortly after parliament voted 299 to 10 to approve Mbeki's exit from office effective Thursday, ending the nine-year administration of the man who succeeded anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. The African National Congress has picked its deputy chief, Kgalema Motlanthe, to replace Mbeki until April elections.
Read AFP news report at google.com
September 19, 2008
Zimbabwe faces long and painful road to health
Even if all goes well it could take more than 12 years for Zimbabwe's economy to recover peak levels of per capita income reached in 1991, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report seen by the Financial Times. The report, "Comprehensive Economic Recovery in Zimbabwe", is due to be published today. Researched and written by five Zimbabwean economists, it is the first economic assessment to be published in the wake of this week's -power-sharing agreement between the veteran autocrat Robert Mugabe and his opposition rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister designate
Read article in the Financial Times (UK)
September 8, 2008
Manto: children need vitamin A
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang called on parents and caregivers on Monday to take children to public health facilities for vitamin A drops. Children aged between one and five years were at risk of suffering from vitamin A deficiency, Tshabalala-Msimang said at the launch of a National Vitamin A campaign at the Dumane Clinic in Vosloorus. She said a 2005 National Food Consumption Survey revealed that vitamin and mineral deficiency still existed in the country.
Read article on the Independent Online website (South Africa)
September 1, 2008
Africa urged to protect traditional medicines
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has called for greater protection of the intellectual rights of Africa's traditional medicines. She was speaking at the 6th commemoration of The African Traditional Medicine Day in Cameroon's capital of Yaounde yesterday. Tshabalala-Msimang says the continent should benefit more from this ancient traditional knowledge. More than 80% of the African population make use of medicines like these.
Read article at sabcnews.com (South Africa)
August 28, 2008
Africa to commemorate African Traditional Medicines Day
Cameroon - Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is expected to attend the sixth commemoration of the African Traditional Medicine Day in Cameroon on Sunday. African Traditional Medicine Day is celebrated on 31 August every year to promote the use of traditional medicine in everyday health care.
Read article at BuaNews Online (South Africa)
July 31, 2008
'Major discovery' from MIT primed to unleash solar revolution
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system
In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.
Read article on the MIT website (USA)
Comment: Liberation from the tyranny of the oil cartel continues to draw closer.
July 31, 2008
South Africa court deals blow to Zuma in graft case
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's highest court on Thursday rejected ruling ANC party leader Jacob Zuma's attempt to stop seized evidence being used against him in a corruption trial.
Read news story at reuters.com
July 30, 2008
Zimbabwe to revalue its currency
Zimbabwe's central bank has said it will revalue its currency on 1 August as part of efforts to fight the effects of hyperinflation. The bank's governor, Gideon Gono, has announced 10 zeros will be lopped off the Zimbabwe dollar, making 10bn dollars now equal to one dollar. Only last week, the government introduced the Z$100bn note.
Read article on the BBC News website (UK)
Comment: Inflation in Zimbabwe is officially running at more than 2,000,000%, but many analysts believe the true inflation figure is at least 9,000,000%.
July 24, 2008
Russia could place bombers in Latin America, N.Africa - paper
Russian strategic bombers may soon be deployed at airbases in Cuba, Venezuela and Algeria as a response to the U.S. missile shield in Europe and NATO's expansion, Russian daily Izvestia said on Thursday. Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the U.S. of 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an accompanying tracking radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its national security. Washington says the defenses are needed to deter a possible strike from Iran, or other "rogue" states. Moscow has also expressed concern over NATO's expansion to Russia's borders and pledged to take "appropriate measures" to counter the U.S. and NATO moves.
Read article on the RIA Novosti website (Russia)
July 9, 2008
Nigeria: Pfizer - Kano Govt, Victims Reject $10 Million Offer
Out-of-court settlement talks between pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the Kano State government broke down at the weekend after the government and representatives of victims' families turned down an offer of $10 million compensation from the company.
Read article at allafrica.com
Comment: The
victims' families have asked the Nigerian Federal Government to ban Pfizer products in Nigeria until it pays compensation and apologizes to Nigeria for using innocent children as guinea pigs. In this latest development, the chairman of the victims' association has stated that it is "amazing how the same company would offer to pay $21million for settlement of all legal fees incurred by both parties in the case, while paying a paltry $10 million to the 200 victims in Nigeria."
July 4, 2008
Judge orders Google to give YouTube user data to Viacom
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A US judge has ordered Google to expose to Viacom the video-viewing habits of everyone who has ever used YouTube in a decision condemned by the Internet giant and privacy advocates.
Read AFP news story at google.com
Comment: The ruling, which could have serious privacy implications for internet users worldwide, orders Google to turn over every record of every video watched by YouTube users, including users' names and IP addresses.
June 20, 2008
Nigerian court says victims can be party in Pfizer case
ABUJA (AFP) - A Nigerian court on Friday granted the request of victims of an alleged 1996 Pfizer drug trial in the northern city of Kano, to be joined as party in the controversial lawsuit. "The applicant has sufficient interest in the suit to warrant this court to join them as additional respondent in the case," Abuja Anwuri Chikere, presiding judge of the federal high court, said. "The applicant's presence in the suit is important for effective and effectual determination of the case. The application for joinder is therefore granted," she added. Friday's ruling followed an application by the lawyer representing the victims of the alleged illegal drug trial which led allegedly to the deaths of about 11 children, while almost 200 others were reportedly left with some degree of disability or deformity.
Read AFP news report at yahoo.com
June 5, 2008
Zimbabwe's currency crashes, prices rocket
Zimbabwe's currency plunged to a new record low on Thursday, trading at an average 1 billion to the U.S. dollar on a recently introduced interbank market and triggering massive price increases. Traders were quoting the Zimbabwean dollar <ZWD=> at between 995 million and 1.45 billion against the greenback in Thursday morning trade, up from an average 700 million at the beginning of the week.
Read article at reuters.com
Comment: A loaf of bread now costs about Z$600 million in Zimbabwe whilst a two-litre bottle of cooking oil costs about Z$5 billion – the latter being almost equal to an average low-income worker's monthly wage. Official figures put Zimbabwe's annual inflation - the highest in the world - at 165,000 percent in February, but analysts say the figure vaulted as high as 1.8 million percent by May.
May 19, 2008
Democracy and the Web
Users of the Internet take for granted their ability to access all Web sites on an equal basis. That could change, however, if Internet service providers started discriminating among content, to make more money or to suppress ideas they do not like. A new "net neutrality" bill has been introduced in the House, which would prohibit this sort of content discrimination. Congress has delayed on this important issue too long and should pass net neutrality legislation now.
Read editorial in the New York Times (USA)
Comment: To learn more about the need for net neutrality and internet freedom, click here.
May 14, 2008
NAFDAC bans 30 agrochemical products
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has banned the sale and supply of 30 different agrochemical products in the country. NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Dora Akunyili, explained in Abuja that the ban became necessary when it was discovered that the pesticides were causing food poisoning that had resulted in the death of many after they consumed food crops preserved with the chemicals.
Read article in the Vanguard newspaper (Nigeria)
May 7, 2008
Zimbabwe parties challenge parliamentary results
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition MDC have contested half the results of the March 29 parliamentary election, state media said on Wednesday, extending a stalemate that has triggered widespread violence. Official results showed ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence in 1980, while the Movement for Democratic Change and a breakaway faction together secured enough seats to control the assembly.
Read article at reuters.com
April 28, 2008
Pfizer seeks settlement over drugs trial: Nigerian official
KANO, Nigeria (AFP) - US pharmaceuticals company Pfizer Inc. and the Nigerian state of Kano resumed talks aimed at reaching an out-of-court settlement over an alleged illegal drugs trial, an official said Monday. The alleged illegal clinical trial was carried out in 1996 and left 11 children dead and some 180 others with a deformity or handicap. Kano state justice commissioner Aliyu Umar said state government officials met Pfizer representatives last month in the federal capital Abuja, where the drug company made a financial offer which Kano rejected as inadequate.
Read AFP news report at google.com
March 11, 2008
Nigeria Vows To Summon Pfizer’s Bill Steere
The complex litigation over the controversial Trovan clinical trials in Nigeria is proceeding at a snail’s pace, but the federal government isn’t backing down from its promise to pursue criminal charges against several former and current Pfizer personnel. And topping the list is Bill Steere, the former ceo who still sits on the board who, any day now, may receive a summons to appear in Nigeria.
Read article at pharmalot.com
March 6, 2008
Zimbabwe currency at 25m to $1
The Zimbabwean dollar has plumbed new depths, tumbling in value to 25 million to $1. With inflation now topping 100,000 per cent, Zimbabweans would need to exchange about three stone in weight of their own currency to secure just one $100 note. It also means that the numbers of notes required in shops are heavier than the basic groceries that they buy.
Read article in the Daily Telegraph (UK)
February 29, 2008
Zuma cheated taxman, says State
NC President Jacob Zuma should not be allowed to quash "important" evidence implicating him in corruption, racketeering and multimillion-rand tax fraud, the state says. The National Prosecuting Authority argues that one reason why he should not be allowed to do so are the "links" it says the disputed evidence shows between Zuma's former financial adviser and convicted fraudster, Schabir Shaik, and "political office-bearers".
Read article on the Independent Online website (South Africa)
February 23, 2008
Manto speaks out about traditional medicine
African traditional medicines should not become "bogged down in clinical trials" when being subjected to research and development, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. Addressing members of the presidential task team on African traditional medicine, Tshabalala-Msimang said: "We cannot use western models of protocols for research and development. We should guard against being bogged down with clinical trials."
Read article on the Independent Online website (South Africa)
February 18, 2008
Greening Ethiopia for Food Security & End to Poverty
A remarkable project reversing the ecological and social damages of the past 100 years that have locked the country in poverty. The world's largest single study of its kind now shows that composting increases yields two to three-fold and outperforms chemical fertilizers by more than 30 percent.
Read press release on the Institute of Science in Society (ISIS) website (UK)
February 11, 2008
How the spooks took over the news
In his controversial new book, Nick Davies argues that shadowy intelligence agencies are pumping out black propaganda to manipulate public opinion – and that the media simply swallow it wholesale.
Read article in the Independent (UK)
February 7, 2008
Manto still talking to traditional healers
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala Msimang today vowed to continue engaging traditional healers on health issues, saying they were important partners in the fight against HIV and Aids. "Some people might be resisting traditional healers but I believe we are on the right track," she said. Speaking during a meeting in Cape Town between the Health Department and traditional leaders on initiations and circumcision, Tshabalala-Msimang said no amount of pressure would discourage her from engaging with traditional leaders on crucial issues such as HIV and Aids. "We will not be pushed around for the sake of money and resources," she said.
Read article in The Times (South Africa)
February 5, 2008
Nigeria: Pfizer - Kano Applies for Arrest of 3 American Suspects
Kano State government has requested that three Americans, namely, Dr. Scott Hopkins, Dr. Deborah Williams, and Michel Dunne, be extradited and tried as they were suspected to be directly responsible as research field officers for the trial of the drug Trovan. This was revealed to the court yesterday by the Kano State director of public prosecution (DPP), Sulaiman Bala Na-Malam.
Read article at allafrica.com
February 4, 2008
Pfizer employees in court over 1996 drug trial
Three employees of US drug giant Pfizer appeared in court Monday facing criminal charges filed by the Kano state government over an allegedly illegal 1996 meningitis drug trial. The judge adjourned the case until March 4 when Pfizer's challenge to the court's legal jurisdiction will be heard. Pfizer employees Bashir Bello, Segun Dogunro and Lere Baale stood in the witness box for the first time since civil and criminal proceedings were launched against the drug firm and eight of its staff eight months ago. The accused face 65-charge counts of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous harm and culpable homicide.
Read AFP news report at google.com
January 29, 2008
Nigeria: Parents of Pfizer Drug Victims Protest
Parents of victims of the alleged Kano Pfizer drug trial in 1996 staged another peaceful demonstration, carrying placards outside the premises of Kano High Court. They asked the Federal Government to ban Pfizer products in Nigeria until it pays compensation and apologizes to Nigeria for using innocent children as guinea pigs. The presiding judge at the civil case filed against Pfizer by Kano State government, Justice Sunusi Ciroma, listening to the arguments by the counsels of both parties, adjourned the case till 3rd of March, saying the court will deliberate on whether it has the jurisdiction to entertain the case or not on that date.
Read article at allafrica.com
January 15, 2008
Zimbabwe: Zinatha Seeks Assistance in Traditional Medicine Researches
GOVERNMENT should help traditional healers to conduct research on traditional medicines and herbs that can be used to treat ailments related to HIV and Aids, the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association has said.
Read article at allafrica.com
January 6, 2008
Africa's Hope for Unity Lies in Information Technology
Ghana, formerly Gold Coast, was in 1957 the first African nation to attain independence from Britain. That was 51 years ago, and Ghana's charismatic leader Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the visionary leader that he was, spoke about the urgent need to liberate and unite the whole continent of Africa for the empowerment of its people. In July 2007, half a century after Ghana's independence, leaders of 53 independent African states convened in a summit in the Ghanaian capital of Accra to revive the Nkrumah dream of forming "the United States of Africa." The meeting ended without a clear roadmap for establishing such unity.
Read article at mshale.com